NCAAB: Oden, Cook and Conley all leaving late report on ESPN says

Greg Oden not alone in heading to the NBA as apparently Daequan Cook and Mike Conley Jr. will also declare for the draft.

by Mike Zimmer, Disappointed Buckeye fan

Greg Oden leaving to turn pro is a no-brainer. He needs to go. He’ll never have his stock get much higher and there is little he can prove at the collegent level. He already almost helped the Buckeyes to a title in one year. Why risk an injury or perhaps slipping down the draft rankings any further than either #1 or #2 as he is now?

Conley Jr. and Cook are not ready for the NBA. However money is calling their name and they are looking to cash in and strike while the iron is hot. It’s truly a shame. The news is tempered only by the thought for the moment that Cook and Conley have not hired agents and won’t be signing with one unless they feel that they can be drafted where they feel is best for their future. This team with Conley and Cook even without Oden was looking to be as strong a team as there is in the country come next season. Some would argue that with Oden on the bench with foul trouble that the Buckeyes were better and multi-facited. Well, that theory is out the window now the Conley leaving (if the report is correct).

As a Buckeye fan, this is dis-heartening news, but something that isn’t entirely unexpected in some odd way. When this class was recruited and then signed to come to Ohio State, there was thought that they wouldn’t last long. However, I figured after watching this team all spring that perhaps bit-by-bit they might flee to the big bucks of the NBA instead of all at once as it appears they will do.

Thad Matta will have to find some more 7-foot tall Greek’s now. Oh and a couple of talented Guards too. I hear Jim O’Brien is free to find some Serbian or Croatian guys to come play. I bet he’d be more than willing to help out Matta and the University that supported him…er…dropped him like he was hot after one little bit of “institutional control” occured.

Here is to hoping that cooler heads prevail and Conley and Cook get wise and return to the team in 2007-2008.

Dang it! Come on Buckeye Nation! Give us some good news for a change!

Discussion (3) ¬

I think Conley’s gotta go to, his draft stock won’t be higher since the NBA routinely picks apart college kids’ games the longer they stay. As for Cook… ummmm yeah, you played like 5 minutes a game and averaged 2 points, you sir are not ready.

good points Brian…I am in agreement with you in that Conley’s stock won’t get much higher. He should be a top 10 pick. Maybe if he stays he goes a couple spots higher, but I really don’t think the rewards are worth the risks for Conley. Cook will be lucky to get drafted.